November 23, 2011

In Elmore Leonard's guidelines for writers, he quotes a character in John Steinbeck's "Sweet Thursday." If you've read much Steinbeck (that's him on the left) you'll agree this character probably reflects the author's view:

He says: ''I like a lot of talk in a book and I don't like to have nobody tell me what the guy that's talking looks like. I want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks. . . . figure out what the guy's thinking from what he says. I like some description but not too much of that. . . . Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. . . . Spin up some pretty words maybe or sing a little song with language. That's nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don't have to read it. I don't want hooptedoodle to get mixed up with the story.''

Great advice. I've seen a lot of writing that is mainly hooptedoodle.

Usually it comes from newer writers who forget that their main mission is to tell a story.

They think they have to impress the reader with the quality of their writing. Often they equate high quality with obscure words, flowery descriptions, or bizarre turns of phrase.

It's something to keep in mind when you get to the point of starting your second draft. Maybe you could put a little sticky note on your computer: "Cut the hooptedoodle."

(We have almost no hooptedoodle in the online Writing Breakthrough Strategy program. What we do have is friendly guidance from me and the other participants, bi-weekly group calls, lots of resources. It starts again in mid-January but sign up now for the early bird bonuses. More info at: http://www.WritingBreakthroughStrategy.com.)

Comments

In Elmore Leonard's guidelines for writers, he quotes a character in John Steinbeck's "Sweet Thursday." If you've read much Steinbeck (that's him on the left) you'll agree this character probably reflects the author's view:

He says: ''I like a lot of talk in a book and I don't like to have nobody tell me what the guy that's talking looks like. I want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks. . . . figure out what the guy's thinking from what he says. I like some description but not too much of that. . . . Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. . . . Spin up some pretty words maybe or sing a little song with language. That's nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don't have to read it. I don't want hooptedoodle to get mixed up with the story.''

Great advice. I've seen a lot of writing that is mainly hooptedoodle.

Usually it comes from newer writers who forget that their main mission is to tell a story.

They think they have to impress the reader with the quality of their writing. Often they equate high quality with obscure words, flowery descriptions, or bizarre turns of phrase.

It's something to keep in mind when you get to the point of starting your second draft. Maybe you could put a little sticky note on your computer: "Cut the hooptedoodle."

(We have almost no hooptedoodle in the online Writing Breakthrough Strategy program. What we do have is friendly guidance from me and the other participants, bi-weekly group calls, lots of resources. It starts again in mid-January but sign up now for the early bird bonuses. More info at: http://www.WritingBreakthroughStrategy.com.)